engleski

Vertebral osteophytosis and vertebral deformities in an elderly population sample

Aim of the study. We investigated the association between vertebral osteophytosis and vertebral deformities in the elderly population sample and the influence of some risk factors on spinal osteophytosis and deformities. Subjects and methods. Population sample of 280 women and 263 men, all Zagreb residents, older than 45 years participated in the study. Radiographs of thoracic and lumbar spine were evaluated for the presence of osteophyte formation and vertebral deformities. Osteophyte size was graded on a scale from 0 to 4. Vertebral deformities were determined by semiquantitative method of McCloskey. Chi-square test was used to analyse the association between vertebral osteophytes and deformities and discriminate analysis to search the influence of several risk factors. Results. The prevalence of vertebral osteophytosis was 47.9% in men (36.5% in the thoracic and 21.3% in the lumbar spine) and 56.0% in women (36.0% in the thoracic and 23.9% in the lumbar spine). The prevalence of vertebral deformities was 8.3% in men (5.3% in the thoracic and 3.4% in the lumbar spine) and 12.5% in women (7.9% in the thoracic and 5.4% in the lumbar segment). There was a significant association between deformities and osteophytosis on the lumbar segment of the spine (P=0.0240 men, P=0.0152 women). Analysing the influence of several risk factors, age was found to be the most associated with both vertebral deformities and osteophytosis. Obesity was significantly associated with osteophytosis. Conclusions. Since we found a significant association between vertebral osteophytosis and deformities in the lumbar segment and no relationship in the thoracic segment, it implicates different etiologies of vertebral deformities in the thoracic and lumbar spine.

osteophytosis; vertebral deformities; epidemiology; elderly

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